As Kansas coach Bill Self and his staff continue to try to put the finishing touches on the 2017 recruiting classes, recruiting services everywhere are doing the same.
This week, both ESPN and 247 Sports released their final rankings of the 2017 class, which, to date, includes two KU commitments and a couple of known targets still trying to make their decisions.
6-foot-5 combo guard Marcus Garrett, who committed to KU last August, finished ranked as the No. 47-ranked player in the class according to 247 Sports and 61st in the ESPN rankings.
Five-star prospect Billy Preston, a 6-9, 220-pound forward from Oak Hill Academy finished ranked No. 21 on the 247 list and No. 17 according to ESPN.
Those two players finished ranked No. 10 and No. 37 in the [final Rivals.com rankings for the 2017 class.][1]
Other notable names and rankings on the final 247 Sports list include KU targets Trevon Duval (No. 6), recently released Illinois big man Jeremiah Tilmon (No. 39) and guard Thomas Allen, another player who recently was given a release from his previous choice after a coaching change, who came in ranked 126th on the final list.
Duval, who has been one of KU’s top targets for months and would pair nicely in the Kansas backcourt next to Devonte’ Graham and Malik Newman, was rumored to be making an unofficial visit to Duke this week — the Blue Devils may represent KU’s stiffest challenge for the dynamic guard — but Duval wrote on Twitter that such reports were untrue.
It should be noted that this is the same Duval, who earlier this month, Tweeted that he would announce a final two only to reveal later that his plans of narrowing down his list from five (Arizona, Baylor, Duke, Kansas and Seton Hall) to two were merely an April Fool’s joke.
Thanks to [Josh Jackson’s formal announcement that he would enter the NBA Draft,][2] the Jayhawks now have one remaining scholarship to pass out. Should Svi Mykhailiuk, who is testing his merits but has not yet hired an agent, elect to stay in the draft, Kansas would have two scholarships to give in the current class.
As always, Self and his staff also are lining up visits and making the rounds with players in an ultra-talented 2018 class, with power forward Marvin Bagley III, small forward Zion Williamson, shooting guard Romeo Langford, power forward Jordan Brown, power forward Bol Bol and point guard Darius Garland representing a few of the highest-ranked names to keep an eye on.
[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/tale-tait/2017/apr/13/news-notes-and-updated-rivalscom-ranking/
[2]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2017/apr/17/josh-jackson-declares-nba-draft/
